Rail-joint.



No. 652,282. Patented lune 26, |900.`

J. 0. MAYHALL.

BAIL JOINT.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN O. MAYHALL, OF ROXIE, MISSISSIPPI.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 652,282, dated June 26, 1900.

Application filed October 21, 1899. Serial No. 734,379. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN O. MAYHALL, aM

j one adapted to permit a limited movement of the rails incident to'contraction and expansion by cold and heat and capable of effectually preventing the extreme movement or creeping of the rails and the expense and accidents incident to the same.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rail-joint constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a portion of one of the rails. Fig. 4 is a similar view of one of the fish-plates,

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

l 1 designate rails connected at-their adjacent ends by continuou's unbroken angle ishplates 2 and transverse bolts 3, which pass through registering perforations or openings of the upper portions of the fish-plates and the webs of the rails, and the said bolts are preferably provided with spring-washers 4,A

which are interposed between the nuts 5 and the adjacent fish-plates to prevent the former from accidentally unscrewing. The fishplates, which are arranged in the usual manner at opposite sides of the ways, engage under the heads of the same and` are arranged upon the bottom Iianges, as clearly illustrated in Figs. l and 2 of the accompanying drawings. The rails are designed to have a limited longitudinal movement to permit them to expand in warm weather and'contract in cold Weather, and this may be accomplished by enlarging the bolt-openings and spacing the rails; but in order to prevent the extreme movement or creeping of the rails and at the same time prevent the accidents resulting from such separation and displacement and the expense for repairing the track the ishplates are provided at their upper edges with recesses or cut-away portions 6, located at opposite sides of their centers and forming vertical shoulders 7 at their outer ends to engage corresponding shoulders 8 of the rails. The recesses or cut-away portions 6 of the fishplates are tapering, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings, and the lower faces of the heads of the rails are provided at opposite sides of the latter with corresponding tapering recesses 9,which form the said vertical shoulders 8. the rail is enlarged to provide the projecting shoulders of the recesses in order to avoid weakening the railby reducing its top portion.

The upper edges of the fish-plates conform to the configuration of the lower faces of the heads of the rails, and the recesses of each part are filled by the projecting portions of the contiguous part, so that the rail-joint presents a solid structure and possesses the strength and durability of an ordinary railjoint. The recesses of the {ish-plate form a central oppositely-tapered or triangular portion lO, which increases the thickness of the fish-plate at that point where it is subjected to the greatest strain, and when the shoulders of the fish-plates and the rails are interlocked, as illustrated in`Fig. l of the accompanying drawings, it is absolutely impossible for the rails to creep beyond the predetermined amount without breaking or tearing the fish-plates asunder, and as the fish-plates are subjected only to a tensile strain in resisting this `force it will lbe apparent that there is no liability of such breakage and that the rails cannot become displacedthrough'lon gitudinal separation.

The upper portions of the fish-plates are preferably provided with concave inner faces; but they may be arranged to conform closely to the configuration of the rails, and the horizontal iianges or portions of the fish-plates are provided with'suitable slots or apertures for the reception of the spikes for securing the rail-joint to the cross-ties.

The head ot 7o IOO It will vbe seen that the sh-platesiand the ends of the rails are provided with interlocking portions having shoulders arranged to prevent a longitudinal separation of the rails and that the rail-joint is adapted to permit a limited longitudinal movement of the rails incident to contraction and expansion from cold and heat. It will also be apparent that the interlocking parts form practically a solid structure and are not weakened by the inter- V locking connection between the fish-plates and the rails.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of construction Within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

What is claimed isv 1. VIn a device ofl the class described, the' combination with the rails, of the continuons unbroken ish-plate'slocated at opposite sides of the rails and'` having their upper edges inv terlocked with the lower faces of the heads of y the same, whereby the rails are'locked against combination with the rails provided at the Y longitudinal separation', substantially as described.

2. A rail-joint having a continuous unbroken fish4-plate interlocked at its upper edge with the lower face of the head of the rails,

' whereby the latter are' locked against longitudinal separation,substantially as described. 3. In a device of the class described, the

lower faces of their heads with tapering recesses forming shoulders at their outer ends, of the fish-plates provided at their upper edges with corresponding tapering recesses forming outer shoulders engaging the shoulders of the rails,`the recessed portions of the ish-plates and the rails fitting together and 'forming a solid structure, substantially as and for'the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed mysignaturein the presence of two witnesses.

JOI-IN O. MAYHALL. Witnesses: B. W. PORTER, JN0; Q. GRAVES, Jr. 

